


Stabilizing

by fishfingersandjellybabies



Category: Nightwing (Comics)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-10
Updated: 2017-01-10
Packaged: 2018-09-16 13:42:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9274583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fishfingersandjellybabies/pseuds/fishfingersandjellybabies
Summary: He didn’t need proof that the nightmares weren’t real, that they were over. But Clark wanted to give him some anyway.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Based towards the end of Nightwing 9, and my typical 'make Damian more important in Dick’s storylines than canon made him' garbage. I couldn’t remember if those helmets went over their faces in that issue or not so I just decided they did. Damian hadn’t been there long, and was just standing by the bed when Dick woke up. Dick totally rants to Damian for like twenty minutes, and then Jon shows up so the two babies stay at the Fortress so Clark and Dick can go fight skeletor or whatever. Then they all go to a dad and baby lunch break in Metropolis. Once again, here’s some more pointless trash for y’all. Clark thinks Damian is cute and precious as heck.

It took him a second, when he woke up, to remember where he was. What had happened. 

And after that second passed, it all hit him like a ton of bricks. 

The nightmares. Dr. Destiny. The robots. The-

He felt an involuntary gasp as he lurched forward. Or tried to, anyway. The helmet he was wearing jerked him back when the wires connected to it were tugged, and he grabbed at it like it was choking him.

He heard a voice, and then another. He registered that it was two, and it took him another second to remember: only Superman was here when he’d fallen asleep. 

He heard the first voice again, and sensed it was directed at him. He couldn’t hear the words, though, through the thick plastic and technology of the helmet. Something pressed against his leg, as another set of hands – the other person, _Superman’s_ hands – came in from the other side, hitting buttons and triggers to open the helmet and pull it off his head. 

“-son. You’re fine.” Hit his ears as soon as the helmet was gone. He blinked at the light of the Fortress, and waited for his focus to settle. The thing leaning against his leg was a figure, he realized. A person, kneeling next to him on the bed. Tiny and young and impatient. He had a feeling he knew already, but blinked one more time to confirm. Felt a faint smile ghosting his lips as he took in the Robin tunic, and the black and gold cape that still seemed a little too big. Damian. “Quit being so _dramatic_.”

“…Damian?” He asked dumbly anyway. And his name was barely out of his mouth before the nightmares came back. And it didn’t matter that it wasn’t real, that it was all part of Dr. Destiny’s powers, or that he _knew_ that. All he could see were those robots again. All he could see was that pier, that machine grabbing Damian from behind. Damian fighting for his life, and getting run through with a blade. 

And it was reflex, when he reached out, grabbed Damian’s arms and yanked him against his chest, near crushing him in an embrace.

Damian grunted, pushed half-heartedly. “Grayson! _What_ are you-”

“What are you doing here, little brother?” Dick hummed quietly into Damian’s hair.

“I-” Damian pushed again, before giving up completely, slumping into Dick’s hold, dropping his arms to the side. “I don’t _know_. I got a text from Superboy with coordinates that led here. When I got here, I found you instead of him.”

Silently, Dick glanced up Clark. 

“Natural or manufactured, nightmares can be scary. And I know you two’s history. I know how close you two are, and I know…what _happened_ to him.” Clark glanced down at the boy, and his hand shifted to cover his own stomach. “So, I thought…well. If our plan didn’t work. If it went sour or I had to pull you out early if it got too dangerous, I thought you might’ve wanted some…comfort. Stability. Something _solid_. You know, back here in the real world.”

Dick, not releasing Damian in the slightest, leaned back. Damian shifted to look up at him. Unmasked face chubby, eyes curious, and even Dick could see that precious worry on the edge of his irises. 

“…What?” Damian barked. 

“…Nothing.” Dick chuckled, pulling Damian back in and leaning his cheek against his head, grinning up at Clark. “You’re a smart guy, Superman.”

“Just observant.” Superman returned. “Also…it was Jon’s idea, calling Damian. Apparently Damian talks about you all the time.”

Damian suddenly tried to twist. “I do not! Jon is obviously _lying_ -”

Dick just laughed louder, squeezing Damian tightly. “Love you too, Damian.”

Damian hushed almost immediately, relaxing against Dick again with an exhale of resignation and embarrassment. 

Dick hummed again, smacking a kiss to Damian’s hair before looking back up at Superman.

“Thanks, Clark.” Dick whispered. 

“It’s what friends are for.” Clark smiled, put a hand on Dick’s shoulder. “I’ll give you two a few minutes.”

“So _you_ can tell me exactly what is going on.” Damian mumbled against Dick’s neck. 

“Take a few minutes for yourself, Clark.” Dick urged, even as Clark moved away. “This couldn’t have been easy for you either.”

“Well, it’s not over yet. We still have to go find Dr. Destiny.” Clark reminded. He kept his grin, though, pulling his phone out of his belt. Dick could see a call already in the making, a picture of Lois and Jon large in the background. “But don’t worry, I’m already on it.”

“Good.” Dick smiled, sighing as he leaned his head back, closed his eyes. For once in what felt like weeks, nightmares didn’t dance behind his eyelids. Not with the mystery solved, and Damian a comfort weight against his chest. “I’m glad.”


End file.
